Billiard cue and tip



May 7, 1968 H. A. REINHART YBILLIARD CUE AND TIP Filed Sept. 22, 1965 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,381,960 BILLIARD CUE AND TIP Howard A. Reinhart, 24011 Talbot, St. Clair Shores, lVIich. 48082 Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 424,603,

Jan. 11, 1965. This application Sept. 22, 1965, Ser.

7 Claims. (Cl. 273--70) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The subject mater of this invention is a billiard one and cue tip wherein the cue tip is made of a mixture of polyurethane and finely divided leather in a ratio of about 2 to 6 grams leather for each 3 oz. polyurethane.

This invention relates to billiard cues and more particularly to a billiard cue having an improved tip composition and structure. This is a continuation-in-part of my United States application Ser. No. 424,603 filed J an. 11, 1965, and now abandoned.

It is well known that the frictional and resiliency characteristics of a cue tip for a billiard cue are important in order to provide the desired impact and to accomplish the desired amount of English on a billiard ball when it is hit. Billiard cues currently on the market utilize a leather tip, elephant hide or buffalo hide being considered the best and generally demanded by expert billiard players. The leather cue tip is secured to the end of the one stick by means of an adhesive. Replacement of a worn cue tip is therefore relatively difficult and expensive. Also, such cue tips are easily susceptible of damage and have a tendency to become flattened and therefore require relatively frequent replacement.

Proposals have been made in the past for different one tip compositions and structures to simplify replacement when wear or damage occurs; however none of these proposals have been successful for the reason that the billiard player is not willing to sacrifice anything in those cue tip characteristics which affect the quality of his game just in order to make less frequent, or simplify, cue tip replacement. This is demonstrated by the fact that albeit there have been such proposals, adhesively secured leather cue tips remain in substantially exclusive use despite their disadvantages.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved composition for cue tips which has frictional and other characteristics equal to and in fact superior to even the most desirable leathers. A further object of the invention is the provision of a relatively inexpensive and durable cue tip structure and composition which simplifies and reduces the cost of cue tip replacement but without any sacrifice in cue tip quality.

Briefly, these objects are accomplished in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention by a one tip which comprises a uniform mixture of resilient polyurethane and finely divided leather. The cue tip is formed with a head portion having a rounded face for impact with the billiard ball, and a resilient shank portion which provides a mated interference fit with the opening in a ferrule at the end of the one stick thereby serving as the means for securing the tip to the cue stick. Hence, replacement can be accomplished simply by pulling the worn cue tip from its interference fit with the ferrule and pushing the shank portion of a new cue tip into the mated interference fit with the ferrule. The most sig- 3,381,960 Patented May 7, 1968 nificant point however is that the cue tip provides a combination of desirable physical characteristics which are equal and in fact superior to those of even the best leather tips heretofore used. Of course the true test of a cue tip in this regard is the feeling and reaction of a billiard player when he uses it. Cue tips made in accordance with the invention have been used by expert billiard players and they find them superior to the best leather tips, including elephant hide and buffalo hide tips. Specifically, cue tips made in accordance with the invention demonstrate performance equal or superior to conventional leather tips in those characteristics important to applying the right amount of impact and English to the billiard ball, they are more durable, and when replacement is required it is much simpler and less expensive.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof made with reference to the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side View of a billiard cue having a tip made in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view in section of the tip portion of the cue stick shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of the cue tip shown in FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, the cue stick shown in FIGURE 1 is, except for the tip as hereinafter described, of conventional wood construction tapering gradually from the grip end 2 to the tip end 4. Referring to FIGURES 2 and 3, the tip end of the wooden stick has a cylindrical portion 6 of reduced diameter thereby providing an annular shoulder 8 at the terminus of the larger diametered tip portion of the stick. The radially inward surface portion of the shoulder at its junction with the cylindrical portion 6 is cut with a radius, as shown at 10, to strengthen the junction and prevent "breakage of the cylindrical portion 6 from the stick.

A ferrule 12 of a relatively hard tough resilient organic plastic material fits tightly over the cylindrical portion 6 of the cue stick and is preferably adhesively bonded thereto by any suitable adhesive or bonding material. Annular grooves 14 on the inner surface of the ferrule provide increased frictional engagement of the ferrule with the cylindrical portion 6. The ferrule should preferably be formed with an internal diameter on the order of .01" or so less than the external diameter of the portion 6 to assure a good tight fit, the inherent resiliency of the ferrule affording sufiicient compression or stretching thereof to enable its insertion over the portion 6 and providing the interference fit. The ferrule can be formed of any of various well known resins such as nylon or Delrin produced by Du Pont Corporation of Wilmington, Del., or Celcon, an acetal resin produced by the Celanese Polymer Company, division of Celanese Corporation of America, New York, NY. The latter is preferred.

The external diameter of the ferrule is about the same as that of the outer surface of the shoulder 8 such that the ferrule forms an extension of the stick portion 4. The end surface 16 of the ferrule is shaped to abut the shoulder 8, a radius 18 being provided to mate with the radius 10. The other end of the ferrule has a radially inwardly extending annular shoulder 20 with a cylindrical inner surface.

The cut tip 22, formed of a mixture of polyurethane elastomer and leather flour as hereinafter described in detail, has an exposed head portion 24 the end surface of which is of conventional generally spherical shape,

and an integral shank portion 26 which extends into the ferrule 12 and provides an interference fit with the flange of the ferrule. The annular back surface of the head portion 24 is flat and abuts the flat annular end face of the ferrule 12. The shank portion 26 has a diameter approximately .01" greater than the internal diameter of the cylindrical bore 20 in the ferrule, the inherent resiliency of the shank providing a secure interference fit of the cue tip to the ferrule. The end of the shank portion is preferably provided with a taper as shown at 30 for easy insertion into the ferrule. The inner surface of the flange 20 may be provided with serrations or the like to increase the frictional engagement with the shank of the cue tip.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the cue tip 22 is formed of a mixture of polyurethane resin and finely divided leather in a ratio of about 2 to 6 grams leather for each 3 ounces polyurethane resin. The resin should be such that the resiliency of the cue tip is from about to 60 durometer, Shore D, and preferably about to on the Shore D scale. The leather should preferably be very finely pulverized, in the form of leather flour with fibrous particles predominantly of a length not exceeding about 50 microns and of a thickness on the order of 2 to 5 microns. With the leather flour in its loose non-compacted state the volume ratio for obtaining the aforesaid weight ratio is about 20% to by volume leather and to 40% by volume resin. The preferred ratio is about 5 grams leather for each 3 ounces resin or about a 50-50 mixture on a I volume basis. The leather flour should he water-free and to assure this it is preferred that the leather flour be dried, as in a desiccator, prior to forming the mixture. Any leather can be used though I prefer oak tanned cowhide.

The cue tips can be manufactured from any of various well-known polyurethane resins as illustrated by the following example wherein the polyurethane is formed of Adiprone LD167 prepolymer and Moca, the former being an isocyanate terminated prepolymer containing about 6% free isocyanate by weight and marketed by E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. Inc., of Wilmington, Del., and Moca being an aromatic diamine (specifically 44-methylene-bis-orth-chloroaniline) also marketed by Du Pont.

The LD-167 is warmed to about 195 F. and degassed under vacuum. Just prior to the molding operation, the Moca is melted and heated to 225250 F. and then is thoroughly blended with the LD-167. The leather flour is mixed in and the resulting mixture is poured into a compression mold having the shape of the tip desired, the mold being preheated to about 212 F. and treated with a conventional mold release agent. The mixture is allowed to set in the open mold for about two to four minutes and the mold is then closed and placed in a heated press for about 30 minutes at 212 F. The molded cue tip is then removed from the mold nad cured in an oven for about 18 hours at 170 to F. Prior to use it is desirable to slightly toughen the rounded head por tion of the cue tip as by rubbing with a fine emery paper.

Urethane elastomers as made from other urethane prepolymers such as Mobay Chemical Companys Multrathane series and Naugatuck Chemicals Division of US. Rubber, Vibrathane series can be used with equal results as a replacement for LD-l67.

If desired the shank portion of the cue tip can be of 100% polyurethane resin without the leather filler since it is only essential to have the finely divided leather in the head or exposed surface portion of the cue tip which is the portion which contacts the billiard ball. This can be accomplished by filling the shank portiton of the mold with the pure resin and then filling the head portion of the mold with the aforedescribed mixture of the resin and leather flour.

The polyurethane-leather composition is at least equal in performance, and is superior in durability and other characteristics, to the best leathers including elephant hide and cowhide. While it is exceptionally excellent as a cue tip, it will be understood that it will have other utilities particularly in applications where the frictional characterstics or other qualites of the best grades of leather are desired, for example tips for womens shoe heels.

Cue sticks provided with one tips made in accordance with the invention have been tested by a cross-section of billiard players including experts and have been found superior to the most expensive cue tips heretofore used. This is, of course, the ultimate test as regards the frictional and other characteristics which are important in accomplishing the desired impact and English on a billiard ball when it is hit. The durability of the cue tips of this invention exceeds that of the best leather cue tips for one reason because they do not tend to flatten or otherwise become distorted from use. Also, they are tough, have no tendency to split or tear and are not damaged by moisture. When replacement is necessary due to wear after a long period of use, it is simple and inexpensive without need for adhesive bonding and setting.

Other synthetic elastomeric organic resins can be used in place of polyurethane to form the mixture for the cue tip, but not with equal results.

It will be understood that while the invention has been described in detail with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, various changes and modifications may be made all within the full and intended scope of the claims which follow.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilige is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A billiard cue comprising a stick having a portion of reduced cross'sectional area at one end thereof, a generally sleeve-shaped ferrule of resilient organic resin, one end of said ferrule surrounding said stick portion in interference fit therewith and the other end of said forrule having an inwardly extending annular flange, and a cue tip having a shank portion in interference fit with said flange and a rounded exposed head portion, at least the head portion of said cue tip being formed of a mixture consisting essentially of polyurethane resin and finely divided leather in a ratio of about 2 to 6 grams leather for each 3 oz. of polyurethane resin.

2. A billiard cue comprising a stick having a generally sleeve-shaped ferrule secured to one end thereof and a one tip having a shank portion in interference fit with said ferrule and a rounded exposed head portion, at least the head portion of said cue tip being formed of a mixture consisting essentially of polyurethane resin and finely divided leather in a ratio of about 2 to 6 grams leather for each 3 oz. of polyurethane resin.

3. A one tip for a billiard cue comprising a body having a shank portion and head portion with a rounded surface, at least the head portion of said body being formed of a mixture containing polyurethane resin and finely divided leather in a ratio of about 2 to 6 grams leather for each 3 oz. of polyurethane resin.

4. A cue tip as set forth in claim 3 wherein said mixture has a resiliency of from about 35 to 60 durometer on the Shore D scale.

5. A cue tip for a billiard cue comprising a body having a shank portiton and head portion with a rounded surface, at least the head portion of said body being formed of a mixture of polyurethane resin and finely divided leather in a ratio of about 5 grams leather for each 3 ounces polyurethane resin.

6. A cue tip for a billiard cue comprising a body having a rounded surface and formed of a mixture of polyurethane resin and finely divided leather in a ratio of about 2 to 6 grams leather for each 3 oz. of polyurethane resin.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 71,925 12/1867 Veazie 273-70 243,299 6/1881 Pierce 273-70 6 1,123,807 1/1915 Rutherford 273-70 3,036,996 5/1962 Kogon.

FOREIGN PATENTS 834,938 5/ 1960 Great Britain.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner. R. I. APLEY, Assistant Examiner. 

